Members of the Olubadan-in-Council have accused the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Soliu Adetunji, of engaging in double standard in the handling and interpretation of the consent judgment obtained by the Osi-Olubadan, Senator Rashidi Ladoja late last year.
The aggrieved high chiefs in a letter entitled, ‘Our grievances,’ jointly signed by members of the Council and addressed to the Olubadan, said that blowing hot and cold at the same time could not serve the cause of justice.
There has been frosty relationship between the members of the Olubadan-in-Council and some baales in Ibadanland and Oba Adetunji since the former were promoted as royal majesties by former governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2017.
The new obas alleged that they had been sidelined in the running of the affairs of Ibadan since Oba Adetunji mounted the throne as king.
The letter reads in part:
“As the members of Olubadan-in-Council, it is our responsibility to hold sessions with you on the day-to-day running of the Ibadan traditional system, including appointment and promotion of traditional chiefs from Mogaji up to the highest chieftaincy title, as well as award of honourary chieftaincy titles among several other functions.”
It described their experience under the reign of Oba Adetunji as unprecedented in the history of the Ibadan traditional system, pointing that:
“Sadly, all attempts on our part to check the trend had been rebuffed.”
It stated that the crisis trailing their promotion as beaded crown Obas was needless noting that:
“Without prejudice to the two separate suits already filed in court challenging the consent judgment recently obtained by the Osi Olubadan, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, to set aside the two separate gazettes that contained the promotion exercises, it is curious that the palace has been selective in its observance of the said court judgment.
‘’In observance of the setting aside of the two gazettes as contained in
the consent judgment, the palace recently elevated some Mogajis to the position of Jagun and other titles in defiance of the recommendation contained in the gazettes that Ikolaba title should be the entry point to the Olubadan stool.‘’The palace also recently proclaimed that “the three year- old crisis had gone with the wind. Chiefs are no longer addressed as monarchs as this has become unlawful and we
have stopped indiscriminate wearing of beaded crowns and coronets. This, among other things, was a direct attack on us and our brothers in
the less city.”
When called for a response to the issue on Sunday, Adeola Oloko, Press Secretary to the Olubadan, was unreachable as his telephone was switched off.
